


A Light in the Dark

by Evil_Potato_Monster



Series: Wick the Dragonborn [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Fanart Included, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-02-23 10:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23710276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Potato_Monster/pseuds/Evil_Potato_Monster
Summary: A retelling of the waking nightmare quest in which Wick the awkward mess of a Dragonborn befriends Erandur the Dunmer priest of Mara. Digital art included!
Relationships: Male Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Erandur
Series: Wick the Dragonborn [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707664
Kudos: 11





	1. It's Complicated

Trudging his way through the frigid snow of the Pale, Wick brushed the snow from his blue dragon priest mask and found his way out of the storm and into Dawnstar’s Windpeak inn. He’d been traveling for weeks evading his loathsome duties as the dragon born in favor of increasing his magical dexterity out in Skyrim’s bitter wilderness. 

Making his way to the Inn’s counter, Wick ordered up a tankard of honningbrew mead and let the hearth fire’s warmth seep over and into his chilled frame. 

It was another restless night in Dawnstar and the Windpeak inn was alive with panic.

“But these dreams are clearly evil! You must do something! You must help us!”  
The lady who spoke was a Breton miner who looked as though she was going to cry, or punch someone, or both, so strong was her distress.

A small crowd of people all with exhausted and weary expressions were gathered round a slim, elderly Dunmer, in hooded priestly robes.

“Calm yourselves!” 

The priest held out his hands in an effort to caution the crowd. 

“These dreams aren’t evil. They’re only dreams! I am doing everything within my power to help, but in the meantime you must be strong and trust in me, Trust that we will do all that we can to help you.”

The lady broke down into tears. 

“How can we trust you Erandur? You say you will help us. You say to stay calm. But when will you do something? When will you help us?”

“You must be patient. I promise I’ll do what I can, when I can!”

Erandur appeared at a loss. The crowd dispersed. A distinct vibe of distrust and anxiety weighed heavily in the air.

Upon further observation of the elf, Wick noticed his eyes were a striking red that contrasted heavily against his face’s dusty gray skin and the salt and pepper hair of his beard. Wick thought he looked very attractive. 

When the priest started towards the counter Wick realized he’d been staring and hurriedly looked away and continued to drink his mead.

\---

Deep down Erandur knew it was simply unfair to expect anyone in Dawnstar to trust him at this point. These people weren't idiots and neither was he. Nearly everyone he'd spoken to could tell the priest knew more than he was letting on. Tensions were high enough as things were, he needed to fix things now, before  
it was too late. 

As he sat at the bar, a frown across his bearded countenance, Erandur wondered just how far he'd realistically make it on his own, when a creaking noise  
resonating from the stool to his left caught his attention.

"Um, excuse me Sir?"

The old dunmer looked up through tired eyes to see a large wall of a man sitting next to him. He was clothed in A blue dragon priest mask, Archmage robes, leather gloves, dwarven boots, and a heavy ice bear pelt-cloak. 

From his attire Erander could not make out what race he was, Since none of his skin or features shone through. But judging by his deep voice and thick Imperial accent Erandor assumed him to be a very large Imperial.

"Yes sera?"

The masked man fidgeted with his gloved hands nervously. 

"Hi, my name's Wick. I um, I couldn't help but overhear you talking to the towns people earlier about nightmares, and I noticed how glum you look, and well, I was wondering if I could buy you a drink?" 

"Why?" 

Erandur chuckled but he didn’t find it funny.

Wick paused. "What?"

Erandur sighed.

"Why would you like to buy me a drink?"

"Oh." Wick stopped fidgeting with his gloves and put his hands in his lap.

"Because, you seem like you could use a drink, and I like buying drinks for handsome men?" 

Erandur choked and his face flushed.

“E-excuse me? Are you hitting on me?”

Wick tensed.

“Yes? I mean, if that’s-”

"You know what? I think I’ll take you up on that offer. It has been a long night. I'm Erandur by the way, priest of Mara pleased to make your acquaintance."

Erandur turned to the inn keep.

"One ale please. He's paying."

\---

After Erandur had drank maybe a third of his Ale he said,

"These nightmares the towns people are having aren't just dreams. They're Vaermina, the daedric prince of nightmares attempt at stealing these poor people's memories."

Wick sipped an alto wine and listened intently.

"I see." He said. Taking another sip.

"So then, why are you lying to the townspeople about them not being anything more than simple dreams?"

Erandur narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not lying! I'm, I'm only omitting information to prevent mass hysteria! And who in oblivion are you to judge me anyway? You don't know me at all! Just because you buy me a drink you think you can just casually say that?"

Wick’s chest tightened with anxiety.

"I… I'm sorry. Y-you’re right I d-don't know you. I didn't mean it like that. I just. No you’re right. Maybe I should just leave.

Wick stood and hurriedly covered Morokei. The mask's eye slits were leaking. 

Erandur mentally kicked himself.

"No wait! Don't go. I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just. It's this whole damned thing! It's all I can think about day and night. I'm exhausted, and tired, and overly defensive because I know I can't face this on my own, and yet I don't trust anyone enough to ask them for their help, even though I tell those same people to trust in me! I'm a hypocrite alright? It's just, It's complicated. I only want this whole thing over and done with! I haven't been telling the townsfolk everything because I'm terrified that it will all somehow turn out worse than it already is. Devines! I'm just an old idiot priest and I don't want to deal with this shit. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You have literally nothing to do with this. And now I've made you cry. I'm really terribly sorry."

"N-no. I'm not crying. It's just the mask having i-issues."

Wick sniffled.

Wick left the inn in a rush and finished his panic attack directly outside. Then he waltzed back in five minutes later as if nothing had happened.

Awkwardly tripping over his feet and avoiding eye contact with everyone in the inn, Wick sat back down next to Erandur again.

"I could help you take care of whatever daedric issues are causing these nightmares. That is if you'd like some help?" Wick offered.

“Would you really? I-I thought I’d scared you off…”

“Nope.”

Wick coughed.

“Just had to fix my mask.”

Erandur knew that was a load of Hoarker dung but felt too guilty to press further.

Erandur smiled.

“Thank you for offering your assistance. I really do appreciate it.”

Wick nervously picked at the fringes of his arch mage robes.

“Don’t mention it. I’m just glad to be helpful.” 

“Alright then. Follow me and I’ll lead you to the source of the nightmares, the skull of corruption in Nightcaller temple.”


	2. The Temple

Before entering the temple Erandur grabbed Wick’s shoulder.

“Wait there's more I must tell you before we enter.

This temple was once home to the priests of Vaermina. A group of cultists and alchemists who devised a gas called the Miasma. This Miasma was released when the temple was raded by orcs, when I unseal the temple there’s a chance that the preserved orcs and priests will awaken and try to stop us as the miasma will be dissipated. That is part of why this task is such a dangerous one.”

Wick shrugged.

“That's alright I am one hell of a mage. I’m very confident in my magical abilities. It’s just about the only thing I’m confident in…

Plus you seem to know a lot about the temple. I trust you know what you're doing.” 

Wick pointed out.

Erandur smiled awkwardly and they entered the temple.

Inside were some broken pews, and a large stone wall with Vaermina’s figure etched into it.

“ Give me a moment I will need to break the seal to let us inside the actual ruin.”  
Erandur’s hands lit up with a strange purple glow as he broke the seal.

Wick began to wonder if the priest was leaving any information out.

\---  
The skull of corruption was visible from the inner ruins of the temple but it was sealed off from access with some sort of strange purple barrier.

Erandur looked dismayed. “Drat there’s no way past this! Unless… hurry we must make it to the library!”

Wick stopped Erandur.

“Wait how do you know there’s a library? Have you been here before?”

Erandur backed away, his face paling.

“I… I’ve been in these ruins before yes.”

Wick didn't press further but he felt that Erandur was definitely omitting something important. 

Entering various rooms fighting their way through the newly awakened priests and orcs with Wick’s dazzling display of fire, sparks, and ice, the two found their way to the ruin’s library. 

“How horrible.” 

Erandur picked up some charred paper scraps. 

“This library was once a treasure trove of alchemical mastery but now most of the books are either burnt or damaged beyond repair.”

Wick walked over the burnt ruins of the library and found a peculiar blue book fully intact amongst the other decimated book remains. He opened it.

“This one’s still legible.” 

Wick tossed the book to Eranndur who skimmed its contents.

“We may be able to break the barrier after all.” 

Erandur began.

“We must search the alchemy lab for a powerful elixir called Vaermina’s torpor, a potion that according to this book, grants it’s users the ability to be shown the memories and dreams of others and move their physical being through space while doing so. Quickly we must find it!”

The alchemy lab was in much the same condition as the library however some ingredients and potions still remained intact. The pair fought off some more of the awakened and split up to find the torpor.

“This it?” Wick asked handing the tall, dark, bottle to Erandur who eyed over it stringently. 

“Yes this, this is it. Quickly now you must drink this to cross over and clear the barrier.”

Wick uncorked the bottle, brought it close to his masked face.

“This won’t kill me or anything will it?” 

Erandur pinched the bridge of his nose, but then relaxed.

“That is a possibility all though the chances are rather slim.”

Wick tensed.

“How slim?”

“I-I don’t know. What I do know is that this is the only way to cross the barrier, to free Dawnstar, and that I can’t drink it.”

Wick wondered why Erandur couldn’t drink it. He turned away from Erandur and undid his mask so that he could actually drink the torpor. Erandur noted the dark grassy green dreads and pointy pale green ears of his friend.

Wick turned to face Erandur hesitantly, his eyes shone bright and blue, he had a medium length beard that matched his dreads in color, and large pointy tusks. He was an Orc.

Wick smiled nervously.

“Wellp here’s to Dawnstar!”

He downed the Torpor.  
\---  
Wick awoke in a body that was not his own. He was still in Nightcaller Temple and he was approaching two priests of Vaermina, a Breton and a Dunmer, Wick watched the surreal dream unfold.

"The Orcs have breached the inner sanctum, Brother Veren." Said the Breton.

“We must hold Thorek! We can’t let the Skull of Corruption fall into their hands!”

Thorek, the Breton frowned. 

“But... we are but a handful. So many of us have already perished!”

Veren glared.

“Then we have no choice. We must release the miasma!”

Veren turned to Wick.

“Brother Casimir have you made your peace?”

“I have made my peace. I am ready.”

Wick spoke in Erandur’s voice.

Veren sighed.

“Then it is done. Brother Casimir release the Miasma!”

Wick was whisked along the dream until he came to a lever. He pulled it. He felt scared so desperately terrified. He must escape! Then Wick blacked out. When he came to he was on the other side of the barrier and back in his own body once again. Wick found a lever and pulled it to clear the barrier. 

Erandur rushed in.

“You did it! You broke through the barrier!” Erandur cheered.

Wick clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes no longer concealed with his mask.

“Casimir.”

Erandurs eyes widened and he backed away slowly. 

“How did you-”

“I saw it. I saw you release the Miasma. You were a priest of Vaermina! And you didn’t tell me!”

Erandur’s face paled and his hands shook.

“I didn’t know if I could trust you. I swear that my allegiance lies wholly with Mara now. I did not intend to deceive you!”

Wick put his back against a stone wall and slid to the ground sitting.

“I, I believe you, Erandur. Your reasoning is sound. You had no reason to trust me with that information. I just-This situation is very frustrating.”

Trying to force himself to calm down Erandur took a few deep breaths.

“I understand. I am sorry.”

Wick stood up slowly. 

“No need. Let’s just continue.”

Wick put his mask back on and they hurried to the inner sanctum of the Ruin. The skull of corruption awaited. The aura of unease and fear radiating off the levitating skull was palpable.

Erandur ran towards it hurriedly but then came to an abrupt stop many feet away from the stairs it hovered above.

The last two of the awakened priests met his gaze.

“Veren... Thorek… You’re alive!”

Erandur smiled.

“No thanks to you, Casimir.”

Veren scowled.

“I no longer use that name.”

Erandur backed away.

“I’m Erandur, priest of Mara now.”

Veren drew a mace from his robes.

“You are nothing but a filthy traitor! You fled before the miasma could claim you and left all of us here to die, you coward!”

A bead of sweat made its way down Erandurs forehead.

“Yes. You, You’re right… But I was scared I wasn’t ready to sleep!”

“Enough of your excuses! You shall pay for your betrayal!

Veren spat, swinging his mace towards Erandur. And Thorek’s hands lit up with fire magic.

They stopped. Two magical ice spikes had flung their way out of the dark and nestled their way into Veren and Thorek’s hearts, killing them instantly.

Wick made his way out of where he’d been hiding. His hands glowing with frost magic. He ran to Erandur who had tears in his eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Wick asked, placing a hand on Erandur’s shoulder.

Erandur began to cry.  
“I-I knew Veren and Thorek. They were once in all but blood my brothers… Is this punishment for my past? Is it Mara’s will to torment me so?”

Wick pulled Erandur into a friendly hug. 

“They would have killed us.” 

Wick stated.

“Yes y-your right, and if they had succeeded then Dawnstar would never be saved…”

Wick withdrew and Erandur wiped the tears from his eyes.

Wick smiled behind his mask.

“Then let’s put an end to this. For Dawnstar.”

“For Dawnstar!” 

Erandur repeated and made his way up the stairs and next to the skull of corruption.

He paused.

“One moment. I must perform a sacred ritual granted to me by Lady Mara in order to destroy the skull once and for all and finally free Dawnstar. It may take a few moments.”

Wick nodded.

“Go for it.”

Erandur began his ritual and a strange feminine voice spoke within Wick’s head.

“He’s deceiving you. When the ritual is complete Erandur will turn on you. Kill him. Kill him now and claim the skull for yourself!”

Wick angrily yelled.

“F*ck you Vaermina!”

The ritual completed and the skull was no more.

Erandur made his way down the steppes and back to Wick.

“Forgive me if I don’t appear relieved. I am, but this place has taken its toll on me. I’m exhausted…”

Wick pat Erandur on the back.

“It’s alright that is completely understandable.”

Erandur sighd.

“I’m sorry I can’t pay you for your help. After helping Dawnstar it was my plan to spend the rest of my life here praying for forgiveness and atoning for my past, but I. I wish to offer myself to you instead. If you’re ever in need of a travel companion I’d be honored to assist you.”

Wick laughed.

“I’d love to have you as a travel companion and I don’t need material payment, your fine, however I think there may be another form of payment you could provide that I would like very much.”  
Erandur blushed furiously and his heart sped up.

“What do you mean?” 

Wick removed his mask and approached Erandur.

“A kiss?”

With hesitant hands Erandur pulled Wick into a soft, pleasant kiss.

They withdrew moments later, Erandur still very red faced. Wick smiled before putting his mask back on.

“Yes. I think you’ll make a fine travel companion.”

he said.

Erandur laughed. 

“When I said I’d offer myself to you that’s not what I had in mind.”


End file.
